Greetings from the President

Dear Friends,

On January 30 and 31, the Gregorian University Foundation was honored to host Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, the President of the Center for Child Protection at the Gregorian University for two talks to invited guests. Fr. Zollner, who earned his doctorate in psychology from the Gregorian, has been called “the church’s leading child protection expert” by no less than The Tablet, the highly respected English Catholic journal. Starting in 2012, in response to the growing crisis in the Church over the abuse of children and other vulnerable individuals, he was part of a steering committee that established the Center for Child Protection, which he now directs. The Center trains professionals from all over the world on the structures, attitudes, procedures and protocols needed to prevent abuse and on how to deal with cases that arise. Fr. Zollner is also a member of the Pontificial Commission for the Protection of Minors and has traveled throughout the world, giving talks and seminars, consulting and advising various religious and secular organizations on this crucial topic. In March he will team up with Fr. James Keenan, SJ, the noted moral theologian at Boston College, who is also a graduate of the Gregorian and teaches there periodically, to run a conference at the Gregorian on the theological issues underlying the abuse crisis. There they will probe the structures, attitudes and behaviors in the Church that enabled the crisis, such as the misuse of authority, clericalism and lack of transparency and identify how it needs to change in order to create a healthy and safe environment for everyone.

Fr. Zollner’s impressive work is a shining example of the critical role the Gregorian University plays in the life of the Church. Not only does it form its future leaders, teachers and ministers, giving them the depth of learning and spiritual grounding to confront the challenges of our age; but its outstanding faculty lend their wide-ranging expertise to the Vatican, various dioceses and a wide variety of other religious bodies on all manner of topics. It is a great privilege to be able to support these dedicated, hard-working teachers, along with their eager, talented and devoted students, who remind us that, in spite of our many problems and failures, the Holy Spirit is still at work in our Church touching the hearts of many and bringing them to Christ. We are deeply grateful to all of you our supporters who have given so generously to make this work possible.
Michael McFarland, SJ

Fr. Hans Zollner, SJFounder and President
of the Centre for Child Protection

This month Fr. Hans Zollner SJ, President of the Centre for Child Protection (CCP) at the Pontifical Gregorian University, joined the GUF in Washington. He gave two talks for our supporters and friends with updates on the CCP and the global Church. The first event was hosted by Tia and Joe Lotuff in their home in Georgetown. The evening began with Mass celebrated by Fr. Bill George, SJ, GUF Senior Advisor to the President.

The next day a new group joined Fr. Michael McFarland SJ, President of the GUF, for Mass at Wolfinington Hall, the Jesuit residence at Georgetown University. Afterwards, attendees went to the River Room with a beautiful view of the Potomac River and the opportunity to sit down with Fr. Zollner. Everyone appreciated being able to learn more about the CCP and issues facing the Church worldwide.

Fr Zollner with Tom & Marion Kyhos

Dawn Eden Goldstein, Fr McFarland & Barbara Jones

Tia Lotuff, Fr George, Heather Morgan & Paul Baldassari

Tia Lotuff, Sarah Vassiliou & Colleen Mudlaff

24 February 2020When Religions Contribute to Education for a more Fraternal Humanity Pontifical Gregorian University

Student ProfileAgnes KayserPontifical Gregorian University

Agnes was born in the city of Fontainebleau, France, on August 13, 1995. The city is known for its famous palace which was the residence of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Agnes obtained her bachelor’s degree in political science and literature at the University of Angers in the central part of the country. She came to Rome in 2015 for her third year of university and she participated in a group called “Roman Encounter”, which is a Catholic association that guides French tourists and pilgrims in the city. It was based on that experience that she decided to study at the Gregorian University.

In 2017 Agnes began to work toward her Licentiate in the History and Culture of the Church which she hopes to finish in 2020. The Gregorian University is the only place in the world that offers courses in this area of studies. That is why Agnes has remained excited and enthusiastic about her studies and the cultural blend of art and history focused specifically on the patrimony of the Church.

Many dioceses in Europe maintain a commission for protecting the sacred art contained in churches, monasteries and museums. Agnes would very much like to work for one of those commissions in France or Switzerland. She feels that the Gregorian has given her the knowledge that she needs to take care of preserving the art works. She has even had classes in the canon law of art management. She explained that moving or restoring a work of sacred art involves regulations specified in canon law about where it can be placed and how it is treated, among other things. Agnes speaks Italian in addition to her native French. It is important to remember that her studies would not be possible without the generosity of donors to the Gregorian University scholarship fund. Profile by David Books, SJ

5 & 6 March 2020The Holy See and the US in Pius XII's Archives Pontifical Gregorian University

After a lengthy search, and with a desire to expand further afield and increase our scope of collaboration, the Board of Directors of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation (Salt + Light Media) is pleased to announce the appointment of Fr. Alan J. Fogarty, SJ, as Chief Executive Officer effective August 1, 2020.

Fr. Fogarty joins Salt + Light Media with degrees in philosophy, theology, leadership and administration. Rooted in his love for Jesus Christ and commitment through Ignatian spirituality to the mission of the Society of Jesus and the Church, he embodies a broad range of experience resulting in a strong background in organizational and visionary leadership as well as a proven record in global networking and fundraising.

The mission of the Gregorian University Foundation is to raise funds that provide financial assistance for the Education Consortium of the Society of Jesus in Rome, Italy, which includes the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Oriental Institute.